by V Vee
She sighed deeply. She missed her best friend. She loved him as more than a friend, yes, but she didn’t miss him for that reason, she missed talking to him. Hanging out with him. Having fun, laughing until they cried, even sitting in the kitchen while he cooked for her.
She just missed him, dammit.
Shaking her head, Stacey headed to the bathroom to shower. She needed to wash the day from her body then once again try her hardest to be madly in love with her fiancé.
Gregory
Gregory had to admit to a bit of disappointment when Tommy opened the door to the apartment he shared with Stacey. While he’d known that he was taking a risk with showing up announced, Gregory had still been hoping that Stacey would be the one to open the door. Especially since he knew she’d only gotten home maybe thirty minutes before.
“Greg!” Tommy welcomed him with a smile.
Gregory scowled and jerked his head in hello to the other man. He didn’t care what Stacey said, Gregory would never like or forgive Tommy for how he’d treated them when they were growing up. New career, new body, smiles, and giving to charity did not a good man make. To Gregory, Tommy was still an asshole.
Especially since he plans on marrying the woman you’re in love with.
Exactly. But that was something Gregory had every intention of rectifying. For a moment, guilt clenched his gut at the knowledge that Tommy had no idea he was smiling at the man who had every intention of stealing away his woman, but that feeling was quickly wiped away when Tommy welcomed him in, telling him that Stacey was changing.
“Oh wait, no,” Tommy was quiet for a moment. “She’s taking a shower.” He grinned widely at Gregory and nudged him with his elbow. “I would go and join her, but I don’t want to be a bad host.” He waggled his eyebrows at Gregory, and he barely restrained himself from tearing those blond caterpillars from the other man’s face. Instead he just gave Tommy a thin smile and nodded.
“It’s fine.” He walked around the living room, taking note of the changes in the surprisingly big living room. He hadn’t been over as much as he would’ve liked since Stacey and Tommy had moved in together. Not that he hadn’t been invited or hadn’t wanted to come, but the very idea or possibility that he would see Stacey and Tommy cuddled up together, or kissing, was enough to make him nauseous, and almost violently angry. “So,” he murmured as he stepped over to the mantle and stared at a picture of Stacey laughing. She had her hand up as if trying to prevent the person holding the camera from taking a picture of her, tears in her eyes as she laughed with genuine amusement. Gregory remembered that day and taking that photo. They’d been joking about how they would look if they were the other gender, and Gregory had taken Stacey’s makeup out of her bag and put on lipstick and blush, jokingly sashaying around their shared office. Stacey had been in stitches over the whole thing and he’d snapped the photo because she’d never looked so beautiful to him.
“Soooo?” Tommy encouraged him, and Gregory realized he’d lost his train of thought as he stared at the image of Stacey.
“Um…” he cleared his throat. “How’s the business?” he asked.
Tommy scoffed and rolled his eyes. “You don’t care about how my business is here.” He shook his head and walked over to the bar that sat against the wall, grabbing a glass and a bottle of whiskey. He held up the large bottle of liquor in a silent question to Gregory. Gregory glanced down at his watch to take note of the time. He shook his head.
“Why do you think I don’t want to know how the firm is doing?” he questioned Tommy as he continued to wander around the open living room.
Tommy let out a harsh laugh before taking a sip of his drink. He strode back over to where Gregory stood, his drink held in his hand. He shrugged once the two men stood side-by-side, both of them looking at a picture of Stacey wearing a strapless, purple, bodycon dress.
“I know because in all the years Stacey and I have been together, you have never once asked. You barely tolerate my presence in her life, much less want to get to know me any better.” Tommy sighed and turned to face Gregory. With effort Gregory pulled his gaze away from the stunning image of Stacey and stared at Tommy who watched him intensely. He quirked an eyebrow when Tommy didn’t speak for a while. He was barely tolerating the other man’s conversation, to now have to deal with an unnerving perusal from someone he saw as a hindrance to him getting the one thing he wanted more than anything else? It was practically intolerable.
“Look, Stacey may not know the reason you disappeared from the country. She may not understand why you’ve almost been invisible in her life, but I do. I get it completely,” Tommy told him, his voice lowering.
Gregory frowned and tilted his head to the side. “Oh, you do, do you? And what reason is that exactly?” He folded his arms across his chest as he regarded the other man nonchalantly.
“You’re in love with her,” Tommy said resolutely, one eyebrow quirking. He nodded as Gregory’s arms dropped in surprise. He faltered for a moment, trying to decide if he should deny Tommy’s claim or if he should own up to it. Especially since he had every intention of taking Stacey away from the other man. His choice was taken away from him when Tommy lifted a hand and shook his head side to side. “No, there’s no need to try and deny it. Unlike my future wife, I am not blind to the looks you give her, the way you talk to her, the way your eyes soften when she’s talking to you, or the way your body leans into hers almost unconsciously.”
He stepped even closer to Gregory, his voice going even lower, softer, more menacing. If Gregory hadn’t been planning on destroying his relationship with Stacey, he might have felt a measure of respect for Tommy. As it was, however, he simply felt annoyed by the other man’s gall and impertinence at stepping to him as if he even had a chance in this fight.
“See, here’s the problem with the way you feel, Gregory,” Tommy said, his tone threatening. “Stacey is with me. She belongs to me. She will be my wife. And there is nothing you can do about that. You’ve had how many years to try and claim her for your own? You missed your chance. Your opportunity has passed. The door closed for any shot you had at attempting to be with her. She is my future and your past. So, thank you for coming over as her best friend to wish her well in her new life as my bride. But don’t even think of trying to take her from me. I may not be as muscled as you, or have as many muscles, but I fight for what belongs to me. And Stacey belongs with me.”
Gregory snorted in amusement. “I’m glad you know where I’m coming from and what I’m coming for. I don’t need to make nice with you then.” He looked Tommy up and down and sneered in disgust, shaking his head. “You’re right that I’ve let too many years pass without claiming what was mine, but that lapse? That mistake is no more. You may have her now, but Stacey is mine. She was always mine and she will always be mine. So, I’m putting you on notice now, Tommy boy, she may be engaged to you now, but she’ll be marrying me.”
The two men stood glaring at each other, but at the sound of Stacey’s approaching footsteps, they stepped away from their heated, nonverbal standoff, and plastered welcoming, loving smiles on their faces.
“Tommy? Is it too late to change my mind about dinner? I think I want a pizza and wings. I think there’s a game on tonight that I want to watch. The Patriots are playing the Giants and I want to see the Pats kick some ass—” Stacey’s words trailed off as she stepped into the room and saw Gregory standing beside her fiancé. “Greg?! Gregory!” With a squeal, she ran across the room and threw herself into Gregory’s welcoming embrace.
Gregory lifted her off the ground, holding her tightly, spinning her around in the air, his heart swelling at the sound of her giggles. He smirked at the look of displeasure on Tommy’s face, and clutched Stacey closer to his body. When she slapped his shoulders and told him, breathlessly, to put her down, he did slowly, letting her feel every inch of his body. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo and body wash. Strawberries and mint, a scent that he thought was synonymous with her personal
ity. Sweet, fresh.
Tasty.
“When did you get back into town?” Stacey asked, her dark brown eyes twinkling in the fading sunlight, her wide smile bright. It filled Gregory’s body and flooded him with joy that his presence could bring her so much happiness.
“Just got back in town this morning,” he told her, brushing her hair out of her eyes, and smoothing it behind her ear. He noticed the subtle shiver that wracked her frame and swallowed back the smirk that threatened. “Thought I’d stop by to see my favorite girl before the big day.”
Stacey frowned. “Big day? What big day?”
Gregory wanted to howl with laughter when Tommy grimaced in Stacey’s direction, before throwing a scowl in Gregory’s direction. “I believe he’s talking about our wedding, gorgeous.”
Stacey’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in shock. She stepped away from Gregory quickly and headed to Tommy, lifting her lips for a kiss in apology. Gregory felt the hot fires of jealousy eating away at his insides and he clenched his fists. He had to stop himself from jerking Stacey away from Tommy’s arms, especially when the other man sent him a wink, while pulling Stacey in closer to his body.
Enjoy it while it lasts, Tommy boy. You won’t be kissing her much longer.
“I’m sorry, honey. I can’t believe I just forgot that quickly,” Stacey apologized once Tommy released her mouth from their kiss—which was much too long in Gregory’s opinion—and bit her lower lip. “My mind was so focused on work, and dinner, and the game, and seeing Gregory again after all this time. Forgive me?”
Tommy nodded and smiled down at her. “Always.”
Stacey turned in Tommy’s arms and gave Gregory another brilliant smile. “So, friend, are you staying for dinner?”
Gregory hated the sound of the word, “friend,” on her lips in reference to him, but he knew that he had a few weeks to change her mind and make her his, forever. And he would start the process that night. With dinner.
Grinning at her, Gregory winked. “Pizza, wings, beer, and the game? Sounds like a perfect night to me. Count me in.”
When Tommy lifted his top lip in a silent snarl, Gregory’s smile only widened further.
Let the games begin.
Stacey
Oh. Fuck. I can’t believe I did that, Stacey admonished herself and groaned internally as she scrolled through the channels on the tv’s guide to find the game. She glanced over at Tommy who was paying for the food, and Gregory who was grabbing the beer from the fridge and wanted to kick her own ass again. How could she have forgotten that she was getting married soon? Hadn’t she just been thinking about that very thing only an hour or so earlier? But now, Gregory shows up in her home and all common sense flies out the window?
She shook her head and turned her focus back to the television screen. She selected the channel where the game was playing and sat down on the couch with a sigh. You let go of any fantasies or delusions about you and Gregory a long time ago. It’s why you’re engaged to Tommy. Don’t lose sight of that now. Gregory is just your friend. Don’t forget that, bitch.
“What are you thinking about so hard over here?” Gregory’s deep voice pulled her from her own inner musings and Stacey looked over at the man who was her best friend and her secret desire with a laugh. She shook her head and leaned close to him to whisper conspiratorially.
“How bad do you think I fucked up with Tommy by forgetting about our wedding in a few weeks?”
Gregory snorted and flicked his gaze in Tommy’s direction before returning his gorgeous eyes back to Stacey. He shrugged and shook his head. “If he’s smart, he won’t let something that stupid make him upset with you, or even worry about it.” He glanced down for a moment before staring intensely into Stacey’s eyes. “Only a fool would let a momentary lapse of remembrance keep him from marrying you. A real man would simply do everything in his power to make sure you never forgot that you belonged to him and would soon be his wife.”
His voice was deep. Sincere. Earnest. And it sent shivers through Stacey’s body, causing her nipples to pebble behind the lacy fabric of her bra. She sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of Gregory’s eyes darkening as he watched her. She frowned and lowered her eyebrows in confusion. If she didn’t know better, she would think that Gregory meant more with his words than simply reassuring her about her relationship with Tommy. It was almost as if he were telling her that he wanted her to belong to him as his wife. But that couldn’t be.
Could it?
“Who wants a slice of pizza?” Tommy’s voice startled Stacey out of her intense staring with Gregory and she blinked and looked over at the other man—her fiancé—with a forced smile on her face.
“I do!” She raised her hand, trying not to look back over at Gregory who snorted in amusement beside her. She didn’t know what was going on with her best friend, but she would wait to ask him about it later. It was just nice to have him home.
She ignored the voice that mocked her with one very true statement:
Home with me. Right where he belongs.
∞V∞∞V∞
Long after the game had ended, Stacey and Gregory stayed up talking. Though they were no longer in the living room, the two old friends now stood in the dining room catching up on everything they had missed over the last few months. Tommy had fallen asleep in the third quarter, he wasn’t much of a football fan, but Stacey had admired how hard he’d attempted to stay awake and watch the game with them. She knew he would much rather they watch any other game. His favorite was hockey, a sport that even after three years together, Stacey still didn’t understand or even enjoy. She was glad that Gregory was back in town. Now she had someone who enjoyed the game as much as she did and someone who would shout and curse just as much.
That’s not the only reason you’re glad he’s back, that damned, mocking internal voice spoke up again.
Shut the fuck up, she told the voice, that sounded suspiciously like her mother.
Stacey lifted her bottle of beer to her lips and sucked down the dregs of the light-colored liquid that remained. She shook the glass when she realized it was empty, then blinked and looked down at the dining table where she and Gregory sat. She frowned as she noticed all of the empties sitting, or laying there, rolling around.
“How many of these have the two of us drank?” she wondered aloud.
Gregory smirked and shrugged. “I’ve only had four. The rest of those are yours.”
Stacey frowned, then shook her head as Gregory chuckled. “I drank eight beers by myself? No way.”
Gregory simply nodded. “Yeah, you did. You were putting them away, as if you were trying your damndest to forget something… or someone.” He winked at Stacey and lifted his own bottle—that was still half full—to his lips—those sexy, full lips—and took a deep swallow.
Stacey shook her head again and settled back in her chair. “I can’t even really feel it,” she lied. When Gregory quirked an eyebrow in her direction, she laughed. “Okay, I may be slightly buzzed but that’s it. I’m not drunk or anything.”
“Well, do you want to keep drinking or do you want me to go?” Gregory asked, and though he was attempting an innocent expression, Stacey wasn’t the least bit fooled. She snorted.
“You’re not going anywhere. You know that.” She flicked her wrist in the direction of the bar. “Go ahead and grab the Scotch. That one’s mine. The whiskey belongs to…” she frowned. What was his name again?
“Tommy?” Gregory offered with a smirk.
Stacey snapped her fingers. “Tommy! Yes.” She nodded her head emphatically. “Tommy, my fin-fin-fiancé.”
Gregory nodded and mumbled something beneath his breath as he stood. If Stacey wasn’t so sure she was wrong she could have sworn he muttered: “For now,” but that was impossible. Right?
She gave herself a mental shake and leaned back in her seat. She sighed in contentment. It was great to have Gregory home again. She’d missed him more than she ever thought possible. S
ince they’d met all those many years ago, she hadn’t gone more than a day or two without seeing the man she considered her best friend and the secret love of her life. Her dream man. The way he’d taken off, and for staying away as long as he had was so unlike him. The fact that she’d let him go was even more abnormal.
Stacey was not someone who hesitated to speak her mind. Especially not to Gregory. More than once over the course of their friendship, she’d told him exactly what she thought about a particular action or even a statement he’d made. It was a cornerstone of their relationship. That brutal, blunt honesty. Though there were others in their life for whom they dispensed gentle truth to, or even doled out white lies to, when it came to each other they were nothing but honest. So, why then had Stacey kept her thoughts, her feelings, to herself when it came to Gregory’s taking off?
She frowned as she thought over that question. She was almost positive that her own brutal truth was staring her right in the face and she simply couldn’t see it. Or she didn’t want to see it. However, the moment Gregory walked back into the dining room, his stride sure and confident… sexy… she knew. Her eyes widened slightly, and she swallowed thickly.
She hadn’t said a word to Gregory about how she felt about his leaving because she was afraid. Scareder than shit. Stacey frowned. Was “scareder” even a word? She shrugged and waved off the look of confusion that crossed Gregory’s face. She had absolutely no intention, whatsoever, of revealing her innermost secrets to him at that time. Nope. She was not going to have loose lips just because she had some liquor in her system.
However, fifteen minutes and four glasses of Scotch later, Stacey’s lips and mind betrayed her. Setting her right elbow on the tabletop, she rested her cheek against her fist and blinked drunkenly at Gregory—who didn’t seem nearly as buzzed as she was. She lifted her left hand and pointed at her best friend, frowning at him as she struggled to say the right thing and not the pathetic, lovesick ramblings that currently collided in her mind.
